Oregon State 52nd District Representative Mark Johnson has introduced legislation to establish a reading initiative from age three to grade three.  The Hood River Republican says it is a strategic initiative that in many ways replicates what occurs in the Hood River County School District where he is a school board member, beginning with investing resources identifying what individual students need to become better readers, and then providing the tools necessary to help those children increase their literacy.  Johnson says it would be a grant based program, with the Oregon Department of Education awarding grants to districts who commit to implementing early reading programs.  But where the money would come from is less clear, with Johnson saying it fits into the “endgame” for a final budget solution, believing the business community is interesting in supporting the initiative.

Bingen-White Salmon Police Department Chief Tracy Wyckoff will be retiring at the end of October.  Wyckoff went on to the job in 2012 during a difficult time for the department, and White Salmon Mayor David Poucher says he brought stability to the position.  In his letter to the Poucher and Bingen Mayor Betty Barnes, Wyckoff said his experience as chief has been a positive experience.  He added he has been a public servant for the greater part of his life, and the time has come to move on and focus on family.  Poucher says they will begin the search for a new police chief immediately.

Baseball Hood River Valley 5, Jesuit 4:  Casey Ward’s double brought home Adam Cameron with the game winning run to cap a three-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning.  Ward’s game winner followed Caden Leiblien’s two-run single that tied the game.  HRV will host a first round state Class 5A playoff game next Wednesday.   Softball Hood River Valley 12, Silverton 2:  The Eagles scored ten runs in the first three innings and cruised to the win.  HRV will host Milwaukie in a Class 5A play-in game on Friday at 4:30.   Southwest Washington Class 1A District Softball Tounament Elma 11, Columbia 0 Forks 9, Columbia 8

Voters in three of four counties were in favor of giving the Northern Oregon Corrections Facility a permanent tax rate of 26 cents per one-thousand dollars of assessed property value for operations, but the margin in Wasco County has been enough to leave the measure trailing by a handful of votes.  Updated unofficial results Wednesday had the NORCOR measure failing, 4,153 to 4,098.  Review of ballots that have been challenged will be taking place, and the vote doesn’t have to be certified until June 5.  Voters in Hood River, Sherman, and Gilliam counties all had approval rates of 53 to 59 percent.  But in Wasco County the measure was rejected just about 55 percent of voters, and that was enough to tilt the overall count.  The proposed tax rate mirrored the bond measure voters approved in 1997 to build the regional jail.  That came off the tax rolls in September 2016.  

The makeup of the Columbia Gorge Community College Board of Education will undergo a substantial change, as Wasco County voters decided to elect four new members to the board, with three long-time members of the panel failing in re-election bids.  Dana Campbell won position two by a count of 1,779 to 1,478 over James Willcox, who had been on the CGCC board for over 30 years.  Kim Morgan was elected to position five by a margin of 1,786 to 1,475 over Ernie Keller, who had been on the board since 2001, as has Charleen Cobb, who was unseated from position seven by Kevin McCabe 1,623 to 1,469.  Sarah Segal won position one with 1,158 votes to Richard (Monty) Wilcox’s 1,025 and J. Carmen Gamez with 963.  Gamez had recently been appointed to fill a vacancy on the board.

There is at least one race in Hood River County that could go to a recount, with a few others close enough to make it possible.  The closest is for position two on the Port of Hood River board, with John Everitt receiving 1,169 votes and Svea Truax 1,167, while Jeffrey Helfrich tallied 300.   Another close enough where it could be affected by ballots under review is for Hood River County School District Board position two, with challenger Benjamin Sheppard leading incumbent David Russo 322 to 316.   The Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District vote also had a narrow margin for the second available seat.  Anna Cavaleri has topped a crowded field of nine candidates with 1,212 votes, with Nan Noteboom holding the second spot at 923 and Nick Kraemer a dozen votes behind with 911.  Matt Rutledge was next with 621, Jim Klaas 523, Greg Davis 486, Steve King 262, Will Smith 215, and Steven Hawley 209.   There was a similar situation for a Hood River County Transportation District seat, where six candidates were trying for four seats.  Mark Reynolds topped the vote-getters in the race for four Hood River County Transportation District board positions with 2,099 votes, while Marbe Cook polled 1,684, Leanne Hogie 1,629, and Effie Mooney leading for the final seat with 1,001.  Jake Bolland tallied 993 and Otto Behrmann 924.   A familiar local governmental figure grabbed one of the open Port of Hood River Commission seats.  Former Hood River County Administrator David Meriwether took position three with 1,629 votes, while Kristi Chapman received 700, Laurie Balmuth 312, and Robert Bart 119.  Ben Sheppard took position one with 1,614 votes to Anna Williams with 808 and Brian Carlstrom with 605.   Two incumbents are retaining their Hood River County School Board seats.  Rich Truax was re-elected to the at-large seat by 1,738 to 910 margin over Brian Hardy, and Corinda Hankins-Elliott retains position three over Jo Smith 296 to 173.   Three were elected to the Hood River County Library District board, with Sara Marsden receiving 1,652 votes, Megan Janik 1,591, Karen Bureker 1,363, and Brian Hackett 1,236.   Dean Bump took position three on the Port of Cascade Locks Commission with 176 votes to 94 for Sally Drew, while Jess Groves won position five with 144 votes to 135 for David Lipps.   With two seats available on the Crystal Springs Water District board Eric Cedarstam tallied 428 votes and Antonio Baptista 395, with Bill Munk receiving 375.

It is a close race for position one on the Port of The Dalles Commission, with Robert Wallace receiving 1,327 votes to 1,314 for Dawn Rasmussen.  Annette Byers was elected to position five on the North Wasco County Parks and Recreation District panel with 1,481 votes to 694 for Daniel Polehn.        Position two on the Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue District board goes to Kathy Schwartz with 1,467 votes to John Willer’s 1,167, while David Jacobs won a three-way race for position four with 1,100 votes to 650 for Crystal Dodge and 631 for Cyndi Vipperman.  Todd Reeves won position one on the Mosier Fire Board with 166 votes to 41 for Craig Dorsay.

Golf The Dalles used a strong final round to finish second at the Oregon Class 5A Boys Golf Tournament at Quail Valley  Golf Course in Banks.   The Riverhawks finished 25 shots back of team champion Summit.  The Riverhawks’ Chase Snodgrass shot a second round 77 to finish in third place individually, seven back of medalist Issac Buerger of Ridgeview.  The Dalles’ Tyler Vassar finished tied for ninth.   Ian Walker of Horizon Christian improved by 19 shots from round one to round two to finish 46^th at the Oregon Class 3A/2A/1A Boys Golf Tournament at Eagle Crest.   Two Goldendale golfers advanced to the Washington Class 1A Boys Golf Tournament during the SCAC District tourney at Mt. Adams Country Club.  Andrew Gerchak finished second and Luke Gerchak eighth, and will compete at State at Sun Willows in Pasco next Tuesday and Wednesday.  Goldendale’s Emily Hurst finished in a tie for fifth in the girls’ district tournament, and will play in the state tourney at Horn Rapids in Richland next week.   Washington Class 1A Boys Soccer Tournament First Round Seattle Christian 1, Columbia 0   Tennis Two Goldendale doubles teams have advanced to from the SCAC West sub-district tournament into district competition on Friday in Connell.  Ignacio Cano and Edgar Vega were second in boys’ doubles at sub-district, while Talia Johnson and Kelli Bighorn were fourth in girls’ doubles.   Baseball Oregon Class 2A/1A District 6 Playoff:   Sherman 4, Culver 3…Sherman advances to the final day of the district tournament on Saturday in Pendleton. Cleveland 4, The Dalles 1:  The Dalles will be at Putnam for a Class 5-A Play-In game on Friday at 5 p.m.   Softball Hillsboro 17, The Dalles 12

NORCOR 26 cent per $1000 operations measure No…4,219 Yes…4,208 (Passing in 3 of 4 counties, but is being defeated by 408 votes in Wasco County)

Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation Dist. Board (vote for 2) Anna Cavaleri…1,212 Nan Noteboom…923 Nick Kraemer…911 Matt Rutledge…621 Jim Klaas…523 Greg Davis…486 Steve King…262 Will Smith…215 Steven Hawley…209   Port of Hood River Pos. 1 Ben Sheppard…1,614 Anna Williams…808 Brian Carlstrom…605   Port of Hood River Pos. 2 John Everitt…1,169 Svea Truax…1,167 Jeffrey Helfrich…300   Port of Hood River Pos. 3 David Meriwether…1,629 Kristi Chapman…700 Laurie Balmuth…312 Robert Bart…119   Hood River County School District Board At Large Rich Truax…1,738 Brian Hardy…910   Hood River County School District Board Pos. 2 Benjamin Sheppard…322 David Russo…316   Hood River County School District Board Pos. 3 Corinda Hankins-Elliott…296 Jo Smith…173     Hood River County Transportation Dist. (vote for 4)   Mark Reynolds…2,099 Marbe Cook…1,684 Leanne Hogie…1,629 Effie Mooney…1,001 Jake Bolland…993 Otto Behrmann…924   Hood River County Library Dist. (vote for 3) Sara Marsden…1,652 Megan Janik…1,591 Karen Bureker…1,363 Brian Hackett…1,236   Port of Cascade Locks Pos. 3 Dean Bump…176 Sally Drew…94   Port of Cascade Locks Pos. 5 Jess Groves…144 David Lipps…135   Crystal Springs Water District (vote for 2) Eric Cedarstam…428 Antonio Baptista…395 Bill Munk…373